Splash of Plum

Setsubun LoveLove Challenge

Previously posted and deleted. Renamed.

Nanao regarded the calendar quietly in the mid-morning sun of her sitting room.

Tomorrow.

There were few holidays in Soul Society that were celebrated but the annual Setsubun festival was among the most popular.

The official celebration began the next day, but the Captain had decreed the day before Setsubun a Division Eight holiday so that everyone had time to prepare their homes for the event. Going there would only prove depressing, so she was stuck at home thinking about it.

Setsubun was typically a reminder that she was largely alone in life and that another year was over. Most holidays had that kind of depressing ring to them. Year in and year out she would wonder what she could do to change that but so far she had not done so. This year would likely be a repeat of the last and onward it would go.

With a sigh, she went to find her wallet. She was a bit late in buying her beans but it was unlikely there would be a run of them. More likely, however, was that she'd run into costumed groups of mischief makers eager to start the fun a day early.

The following morning Nanao thought it was chilly. Though spring was only around the corner, so to speak, winter had yet to be chased out and it clung to the area. The cold air lapped at her exposed shoulder, creeping over the edge of her futon. Grumpily she rose from her bed until a spot of color caught her eye and she paused.

No.

This year would not be the same as the last.

A slow, satisfied smile curved her lips. It was not tradition, she thought, as she padded in bare feet toward her window to quietly pull it closed, shutting out the chill of early morning. Not tradition, but it would still be different, and, she thought, rather fun. How long had it been since she'd done something fun?

Smile in place, she headed toward the much warmer bathroom for a bath. Her shopping excursion had netted her more than just beans. There had been several other purchases, including some food items, a new hair clip or two that had been in a clearance bin, and, of course, her new bath soap.

Plum blossom.

It pleased her even more that she had gotten it on sale, being a frugal shopper, and it was seasonally appropriate. Shutting the door behind her, she was determined that it would be a good, good day.

Captain Kyouraku yawned and stretched, his spine cracking in a way that felt too relieving to be worrying. His mid-morning nap had been more satisfying than anticipated. His first instinct had been to go to Nanao's at sunrise, but as she rarely had a day off, even those he enforced, he thought she deserved the rest.

Now, as it was almost noon, it seemed appropriate to head over. After all, he couldn't leave his pensive Vice-Captain at home all day by herself. There were houses to bless, his and hers, and they could do the office building together, and throw beans and generally enjoy the day.

It had been his plan to do so last year but he'd gotten unintentionally caught up in someone else's celebration. By the time he'd made it to Nanao's it was midnight and she had been asleep and when he woke her up, she'd been angry and punched him.

Hard.

He knew, better than most, that Nanao wasn't much of a party girl. Whether it stemmed from her lack of people to enjoy holidays with or simply due to her reserved nature, he wasn't sure. Despite that, he was determined that this year they would celebrate the Setsubun together.

Rising, he gave his white cat, Olio, a pleasant goodbye wave, which eyed critically and picked up his roasted beans on the way out, tucking them into his sash. It would not due to show up at her place unprepared.

Nanao didn't like unprepared.

Outside, he pulled his pink kimono a bit tighter over his shoulders. The sun was up and shining, but a crisp wind dulled the warming effect of the sunshine. Her house was a short walk from his own. Nanao had purchased a tiny, traditional cottage like home years and year ago, one story and square in shape. Out back, she tended a tiny garden and had a pond with three fish, one black, one white, and one orange.

She had purchased the house before her successful rise to Vice-Captain and he hadn't been part of her initial joy at owning her own residence. Belately, he wondered how she'd celebrated that and if she'd done so alone.

Very likely.

In fact, he didn't even know where she'd gotten the money for such a purchase until years later and learning about her family history and being the heiress* of the Ise family.

Now, as he approached her front door, his excitement bubbled up and he knocked louder than he intended. Swaying on his feet, he waited.

And waited.

"Nanao-chan!" he called out, as he knocked again.

"Sir?"

The voice, young and male, from somewhere behind him, caught him off guard. The young man there was not even graduated. The white and blue uniform spoke that he was still an Academy student.

Nanao's neighborhood was a quiet and traditional place. Jyuushiro lived very close to Nanao, along with a number of older souls who liked the soft, familiarity of old tradition. The young man then was probably visiting; it was too unlikely he lived there.

"The lady who lives in that house, I saw her leave a number of hours ago."

Shunsui scratched his head. "Which direction did she go?"

The student pointed down the road. "She was going that way."

Tucking his hands into his sleeves, Shunsui regarded the young man. "Are you visiting?"

The boy with the slate colored eyes nodded and smiled. "Yeah. My grandparents live up here. My mom insisted that I come up and greet them today."

Many of the lower noble families had houses nearby. Jyuushiro, himself, was of a lower noble house and it had been the reason for his purchased here. The Kyouraku, being a higher noble family, had their traditional homes in the more mountainous area miles away. Nanao, from the Rukongai, was outside both classes.

"So she went that way?" Shunsui mused aloud wondering where she had gotten herself to so early in the morning. Perhaps she was shopping. He knew with certainty that Nanao loved to shop.

"Yes, Sir. She was dressed very pretty, too in a wine colored furisode. I was surprised, I thought only old people lived around here."

The young man laughed awkwardly and Shunsui puzzled.

Nanao was in what?

* - Nanao as heiress of the Ise house is from another story of mine, non-canon. I must finish today the deadline is tomorrow, I finally have an awesome idea for this.